Patents Examined by Anthony Calandra
  • Method of preparing recycled cellulosic fibers to improve paper production
    Patent number: 11214925
    Abstract: A system for treating recycled cellulosic fibers to improve paper, board and tissue quality; the system involves fractionating recycled fibers into a short fiber portion and a long fiber portion. The short fiber portion is split into an original short fiber portion and a refinable portion. The refinable portion is processed into glue pulp. The glue pulp is refined to targeted, measured fiber properties. Varying amounts of the glue pulp, original short unrefined fibers, and long unrefined fibers are blended together to form an optimized slurry that is processed by a paper machine into an optimized recycled paper product. The process provides for improved drainage with the same or better paper properties allowing for cost reductions in fabrication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: Pulmac Systems International, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Joseph White, Wavell Frederick Cowan
  • Power supply unit for aerosol inhaler
    Patent number: 11213072
    Abstract: A power supply unit for an aerosol inhaler includes: a first element connected in series to a load and having a first electric resistance value; a second series circuit including a second element having a second electric resistance value and a third element connected in series to the second element and having a third electric resistance value, and connected in parallel with a first series circuit including the load and the first element; and an operational amplifier in which one of a non-inverting input terminal and an inverting input terminal is connected to the first series circuit, and the other of the non-inverting input terminal and the inverting input terminal is connected to the second series circuit. Each of the first to third electric resistance values is larger than the electric resistance value of the load at a normal temperature or a temperature in a predetermined temperature range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: JAPAN TOBACCO INC.
    Inventor: Keiji Marubashi
  • Non-combustion suction device
    Patent number: 11206870
    Abstract: A non-combustion suction device includes: a mouthpiece having a suction port; a container configured to accommodate an aerosol source; and a heater including: a porous ceramic substrate that permits infiltration of the aerosol source; a glass layer at least in part on the porous ceramic substrate; a pair of electrode patterns; and a resistor pattern on the glass substrate, the resistor pattern connects the pair of electrode patterns to each other; and a power source connected to the pair of electrode patterns. The power source is configured to supply a power flow through the pair of electrode patterns to cause the resistor pattern to generate heat which atomize, into an aerosol, the aerosol source infiltrated in the porous ceramic substrate; and the porous ceramic substrate has a ratio of porosity to tortuosity of 21 or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: JAPAN TOBACCO INC.
    Inventors: Manabu Yamada, Akihiro Sugiyama, Yutaka Kaihatsu, Keisuke Morita, Keisuke Haruki, Yuko Nishida, Hirokazu Watanabe, Takayuki Aoyama, Motoo Nakano
  • Integrated weld stop
    Patent number: 11203164
    Abstract: A weld stop element may be used in a hot plate welding process for bonding first and second plastic components. The weld stop element includes a weld stop post positioned between ribs of one or both of the components. The weld stop post is sized such that the weld stop post is not accessible by a heating element during a heating phase of the hot plate welding process. The weld stop post defines a stop position for when the first and second plastic components are pressed together after the heating phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: MONOFLO INTERNATIONAL, INC.
    Inventor: Axel Sommer
  • Electronic smoking article
    Patent number: 11197499
    Abstract: An electronic smoking article includes a liquid aerosol formulation, a heater operable to at least partially volatilize the liquid aerosol formulation and form an aerosol and a tubular filter segment downstream of the heater. The tubular filter segment is operable to selectively filter aerosol particles and vapors from the aerosol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: Altria Client Services LLC
    Inventors: San Li, Georgios D. Karles, Richard Jupe, Gerd Kobal, Munmaya K. Mishra
  • Non-combusting smoking article with thermochromatic label
    Patent number: 11197496
    Abstract: A smoking article is disclosed herein. The smoking article includes a shell defining an interior space, a consumable substance within the interior space, a heat source effective to increase the temperature of at least a portion of the shell, and a label attached to at least a portion of the shell. The label includes a base film, a cover film, and a temperature dependent material disposed between the base film and the cover film. The temperature dependent material is configured to transition between a first appearance and a second appearance responsive to the increase of the temperature of at least a portion of the shell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company
    Inventors: Andries Don Sebastian, Craig T. Demarest, Jarkko Tuominen, Annukka Kokkonen, Antti Sunnari, Sanna Uusitalo, Olli-Heikki Huttunen
  • Method for preparing nanocellulose
    Patent number: 11193239
    Abstract: A method according to the present disclosure may includes preparing a urea solution by dissolving urea in distilled water, adding phosphoric acid to the urea solution, adding pulp to the solution in which urea and phosphoric acid are dissolved, heating the solution such that the urea and the phosphoric acid each react with the pulp and preparing nanocellulose by washing the pulp which is completely reacted, and then grinding the pulp, in which a weight of the phosphoric acid is 10 to 50% based on a weight of the pulp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Misun Lee, Eunseck Kang, Koun Park, Dongwook Lee, Kyungho Jung
  • Method and a system for production of high molecular weight lignin
    Patent number: 11186948
    Abstract: A cooking method and a digester system wherein partly digested cellulosic fiber source is compressed during cooking to provide high molecular weight lignin and pulp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: FIBRATECH PTE. LTD
    Inventor: Matti Kurki
  • Paper filler composition
    Patent number: 11162219
    Abstract: Methods of preparing partially dried or essentially completely dried compositions comprising microfibrillated cellulose and an inorganic particulate material may include microfibrillating a fibrous substrate comprising cellulose in an aqueous environment by grinding in the presence of an inorganic particulate material to form an aqueous composition comprising microfibrillated cellulose and inorganic particulate material, wherein the fibrous substrate comprising cellulose has a Canadian Standard freeness equal to or less than 450 cm, wherein the fibrous substrate to the inorganic particulate material are in a ratio of about 99.5:0.5 to about 0.5:99.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: FiberLean Technologies Limited
    Inventors: John Claude Husband, Per Svending, David Robert Skuse, Tafadzwa Motsi
  • Aerosol generating device, and method and program for operating same
    Patent number: 11160312
    Abstract: Provided is an aerosol generating device that can accurately detect the shortage or exhaustion of an aerosol source at low cost. The aerosol generating device includes: a reservoir that stores an aerosol source or an aerosol base that holds an aerosol source; a load that atomizes the aerosol source with heat generated by using power supplied from a power source; a sensor that outputs a value related to the temperature of the load; and a control unit configured to determine the occurrence of exhaustion of the aerosol source in the reservoir or the aerosol base on the basis of the cooling velocity derived from the output value of the sensor in a cooling process after the load has been heated to a temperature higher than or equal to a temperature at which the aerosol source can be atomized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: JAPAN TOBACCO INC.
    Inventors: Takeshi Akao, Kazuma Mizuguchi, Hajime Fujita
  • Methods and systems for vacuum powder placement in additive manufacturing systems
    Patent number: 11148358
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a component of with an additive manufacturing system include entraining a first portion of first material particles in an airflow generated by a vacuum source and engaging the first portion of the first material particles against an air permeable screen. The first portion of the first material particles is deposited onto a build platform. The method also includes entraining a second portion of second material particles in the airflow and engaging the second portion of the second material particles against the air permeable screen. The second portion of the second material particles is deposited onto the build platform. An energy source transfers heat to at least a portion of at least one of the first portion of the first material particles or the second portion of the second material particles to facilitate consolidating material particles to fabricate the component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Scott Michael Oppenheimer, Anthony Joseph Vinciquerra, Laura Cerully Dial
  • Use of mesoporous silica
    Patent number: 11142868
    Abstract: A use of organofunctionalized mesoporous silica for the production of recycled paper; the organofunctionalized mesoporous silica comprises a base mesoporous silica having, on its surface, groups having the following general formula (I), wherein Si1 is a silicon atom of the base mesoporous silica, R1 is a C1-C5 aliphatic; R2 is chosen in the group consisting of: a C1-C5 aliphatic and an oxygen atom bound with a silicon atom of the base mesoporous silica; and R3 is chosen in the group consisting of: a hydroxyl, a C1-C5 aliphatic and an oxygen atom bound with a silicon atom of the base mesoporous silica (I).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Inventors: Ilaria Braschi, Chiara Bisio, Enrico Buscaroli, Daniele Bussini, Graziano Elegir, Leonardo Marchese
  • Method for recovery of cellulosic material from waste ligno-cellulosic material
    Patent number: 11136715
    Abstract: The present invention involves an environmentally friendly process and apparatus for the delignification of lignin-containing materials, such as cardboard newspaper or agricultural or tree pruning wastes. This process produces cellulose using low temperatures and low concentrations of hydrogen peroxide. It can be performed using a column fitted with a semipermeable gasket that pressurizes the column by retaining oxygen released by action of the hydrogen peroxide on a lignin-containing material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: King Abdulaziz University
    Inventor: Sherif Shawki Zaki Hindi
  • E-cigarette with valve allowing exhale filter
    Patent number: 11134719
    Abstract: An electronic cigarette particularly adaptable to vaporize liquid material also having exhale filter function is disclosed herein. The exhale function is useful to prevent second hand smoke in an enclosed environment, for example. An innovative diverter valve assembly comprises a unique duckbill valve configuration diverting air through a cooker chamber and into a mouthpiece in an inhale function and diverting exhaled air around the cooker chamber in the exhale function and through a filter assembly. A preferred embodiment further introduces a unique shape to the smoking instrument being elliptical in the cross-section and tapering to proximal and distal ends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: Philter Labs, Inc.
    Inventors: Yuval Shenkal, John Grimm
  • Process for the isolation of lignin from black liquor and modification of the lignin for plastic applications
    Patent number: 11136716
    Abstract: A process for the isolation of lignin from black liquor and modification of lignin for use in many plastic applications is disclosed. The isolation of lignin consists of removing all of the non-lignin components from black liquor solution. The non-lignin components including but not limited to organic acids, sugars, and inorganic materials can be removed using either solvent extraction or ion-exchange resin or a combination of both methods. The isolated lignin is water soluble. The non-lignin components can be further isolated and sold or reused in the pulping or lignin isolation processes. The isolated lignin can be further modified in order to meet the needs of the desired plastic application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: ORGANIC CHEMICAL LLC
    Inventors: Kurt Kurple, Nathan Kurple, Michael Kerman
  • Refiner apparatus and a method for refining cellulosic material
    Patent number: 11118307
    Abstract: The present invention regards a refiner plate segment (1) for a disc-type refiner apparatus (30), adapted to grind a saturated cellulosic material (M) in a refining gap (17) defined by opposed discs (20) during use of the apparatus (30), the material being moved from a refiner inlet opening (21) towards an outer edge (7) of the segment (1). The outer edge (7) of the segment (1) comprises a barrier arrangement (15) to increase the pressure in the refining gap (17) for retaining the liquid phase out to said outer edge (7). The present invention also regards a method of refining a saturated cellulosic material (M) in a refining gap (17) defined by two opposed discs (20) of a disc arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: DAPROX AB
    Inventor: Bengt Åkerblom
  • Methods of pulp fiber treatment
    Patent number: 11111629
    Abstract: In some embodiments, a method may include treating pulp in pulp and paper mills. The methods may include providing a peracetate oxidant solution and generating a reactive oxygen species. The peracetate solution may include peracetate anions and a peracid. In some embodiments, the peracetate solution may include a pH from about pH 10 to about pH 12. In some embodiments, the peracetate solution has a molar ratio of peracetate anions to peracid ranging from about 60:1 to about 6000:1. In some embodiments, the peracetate solution has a molar ratio of peracetate to hydrogen peroxide of greater than about 16:1. The peracetate oxidant solution may provide enhanced treatment methods of bleaching, brightening, and delignifying pulp fibers involving the use of peracetate oxidant solutions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: Clean Chemistry, Inc.
    Inventors: Wayne E. Buschmann, Damon C. Waters
  • Modified cellulose from chemical kraft fiber and methods of making and using the same
    Patent number: 11111628
    Abstract: A modified kraft pulp fiber with unique properties is provided. The modified fiber can be a modified bleached kraft fiber that is almost indistinguishable from its conventional counterpart, except that it has a low degree of polymerization (DP). Methods for making the modified fiber and products made from it are also provided. The method can be a one step acidic, iron catalyzed peroxide treatment process that can be incorporated into a single stage of a multi-stage bleaching process. The products can be chemical cellulose feedstocks, microcrystalline cellulose feedstocks, fluff pulps and products made from them.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: GP Cellulose GmbH
    Inventors: Arthur J. Nonni, Charles E. Courchene, Christopher Michael Slone, Peter R. Abitz
  • Recover of inorganic chemicals of the pulp and paper making processes using microwaves and related techniques
    Patent number: 11111630
    Abstract: There is described a process for the recovering of inorganic chemicals of pulp and paper making processes (IC) and the production of biochemicals from black liquor (BL) using microwaves (MW) comprising: (a) filtration of BL to produce filtered BL, in a media, (b) drying of said filtered BL with MW in said media to produce dried BL, (c) pyrolysis of said dried BL with MW in said media to produce bio-oil, biogas, and solid residue, (d) recovering of said bio-oil, and (e) recovering of IC and biocarbon from said solid residue. The disclosed process does not require chemical additives compared to processes rely on precipitation of lignin to recover said IC. The disclosed process supports efficient, direct, and long-lasting reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and local air pollutants resulting from the current processes rely on burning BL in recovery boilers to recover said IC.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: GREENOVEL INC.
    Inventor: Sherif Farag
  • Dissolving wood pulps and methods of making and using the same
    Patent number: 11105042
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to methods of making novel dissolving wood pulps by processes comprising acid prehydrolysis, pulping, and a multi-stage bleaching process comprising oxidation with a catalyst and peroxide under acidic conditions, as well as to products made therefrom having a combination of medium-purity, low viscosity, and improved reactivity, filterability, and/or clogging that can be used as a substitute for traditional high-purity dissolving pulps in a wide variety of applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: GP Cellulose GMBH
    Inventors: Arthur J. Nonni, Charles E. Courchene, Harry R. Bartges, James M. Keough, William A. Howell, Jeremy M. Carter, Blair R. Carter, Christopher M. Slone, Philip A. Powers, Steven T. Haywood